Page 10 of Ashes and Glass (Cursed Kingdoms)
Prince Marius
Three days had passed since Cinders had found me wounded and fleeing Sir Gareth's betrayal—three days of healing, planning, and preparation for the confrontation we knew must come.
I watched Cinders across the clearing, her copper hair ablaze in the morning light as she communed with Niobe. The fairy of the Evergreen had joined us on our second day here, bringing with her the blessing and protection of the forest itself. Even now, woodland creatures gathered at the edges of our camp—foxes with unusually intelligent eyes, birds that seemed to understand human speech, deer that stood sentinel when we slept.
"Your thoughts are far away," Flame observed, settling on a branch near my shoulder.
"Not far," I corrected, my gaze still on Cinders. "Just across the clearing."
The phoenix chuckled, a sound like kindling catching fire. "The prophecy spoke of union, indeed."
I smiled, feeling the truth of his words in the steady flow of magic that now connected Cinders and me—a constant awareness, like knowing the location of one's own heart. Since the shattering of the crystal slipper and the release of Queen Aurelia's magic, our powers had intermingled in ways neither of us fully understood yet instinctively controlled.
"They're coming," Narcissa announced, emerging from the trees. "My mother has gathered soldiers from both her estate and Prince Casimir's forces. Sir Gareth accompanies them."
"And Ursula?" Cinders asked, joining us with Niobe at her side.
Narcissa's expression softened with worry. "Still with Mother, though she looks increasingly miserable about it. I tried to speak with her, but she wouldn't meet my eyes."
"She must make her own choice," Niobe counseled, her ethereal form shimmering in the morning light. "As must we all when faced with the division between what is easy and what is right."
I nodded, understanding that truth more deeply than ever before. The easy path would have been following Sir Gareth's guidance, marrying for political advantage, never questioning the narrative of my parents' deaths. Instead, I had chosen Cinders, my fated mate, and the harder road of truth that led to genuine peace rather than merely the absence of conflict.
"How much time do we have?" I asked, rising to my feet.
"Hours, not days," Narcissa replied. "They're approaching from the north, following the river path."
"Then we prepare now," I decided, turning to the assembled allies who had answered our call. Beyond our immediate circle, dozens of forest beings had gathered—wood nymphs with bark-like skin, water sprites from the nearby streams, even the fairies who rarely involved themselves in human affairs.
"Friends," I addressed them, "today we stand not just to protect ourselves, but to fulfill a prophecy generations in the making. The union of elemental powers—fire and water, earth and air—will restore balance to our lands. Those who oppose us fear change, fear the unknown. They believe that keeping magic divided makes it safer, more easily controlled."
"But division breeds weakness, not strength," Cinders continued, stepping to my side. "My mother, Queen Aurelia, understood this, as did Queen Marina. Their vision of harmony—not mere cooperation but genuine friendship—is what we fight for today."
A murmur of agreement rippled through our unlikely army. Creatures who would normally avoid one another now stood united by a common purpose—just as Cinders and I represented the union of traditionally opposed forces.
"We seek not to destroy our enemies," I emphasized, "but to show them a better way. To heal the rifts that have divided our kingdoms and our magics for too long."
As the sun climbed higher, we moved into position. Niobe guided us to an ancient stone circle at the forest's heart—a place of power where the barriers between elemental realms grew thin. Here, our mothers had once met in secret; here, destiny would finally be fulfilled.
We did not wait long. The crackle of underbrush announced their approach before they emerged from the trees—Lady Belladonna at the fore, resplendent in armor of steel and obsidian, her eyes cold as winter frost. Prince Casimir flanked her, darkness swirling around his hands like living shadow. Behind them stood Sir Gareth, his familiar face lined with doubt, and at his side, Cinders’ stepsister Ursula, her wide eyes darting nervously between her mother and her sister.
"So," Lady Belladonna's voice cut through the clearing, "the wayward princess and her water prince make their final stand. How fitting that it should end where it began—in the heart of the forest that has sheltered traitors for generations."
"There are no traitors here," Cinders replied calmly. "Only those seeking to heal what others have broken."
Prince Casimir sneered. “Do you truly understand what forces you're tampering with, children?"
I stepped forward, water magic swirling around my hands in crystalline patterns. "Better than you, who seek only to control what should be shared freely."
"Enough talk," Lady Belladonna snapped, raising her hand to signal her forces. "Take them."
The battle erupted with frightening speed. Soldiers surged forward, only to be met by the forest's defenders. Vines erupted from the earth to entangle armored men, while wind spirits disarmed others with precision gusts. Flame expanded to his full magnificent form, his fiery wingspan creating a barrier of heat that few dared approach.
The Widow of Elaria launched herself at Cinders, dark magic crackling around her fingertips. "You're just like your mother—too blinded by idealism to see the chaos you're unleashing!"
Cinders met her attack with composed strength, fire blooming from her palms to counter Lady Belladonna's darkness. "I'm exactly like my mother," she agreed. "And that's why I'll succeed where she was prevented from completing her work. I will bring warmth to those that are cold. I will bring light to those that are lost so they may see their way."
Prince Casimir circled toward me, shadows pooling around him like liquid night. "Water prince," he taunted, "do you really believe fire and water can coexist without one extinguishing or evaporating the other? Your love is doomed by the very laws of nature."
"You understand neither nature nor love," I countered, drawing moisture from the air to form a protective shield. "True harmony doesn't erase differences—it celebrates them. I will help cool the fire when it burns too hot; she will warm me when I grow too cold."
His response was a barrage of shadow darts that hissed as they struck my water barrier, creating clouds of steam that momentarily obscured the battlefield. Through the mist, I caught glimpses of the wider conflict—Narcissa defending a group of wounded forest sprites, Niobe directing the fairies to form a living wall against the advancing soldiers.
And Sir Gareth, standing apart from the chaos, his sword still sheathed, watching with the expression of a man witnessing the collapse of everything he believed.
I fought my way toward him, deflecting Prince Casimir's attacks with increasingly confident manipulations of my element. When I finally stood before my former mentor, the sounds of battle seemed to fade around us.
"Is this truly what you wanted, Sir Gareth?" I asked, lowering my hands though I maintained the flow of magic around me. "More violence, more hatred?"
"I wanted to protect you," he replied, his voice rough with emotion. "To spare you the fate that claimed your parents when elemental powers clashed uncontrollably."
"You saw only the destruction," I said with sudden clarity. "You never witnessed the harmony that preceded it—the beautiful magic my mother and Queen Aurelia created together before your intervention triggered the catastrophe."
His eyes widened with painful recognition.
Before he could respond, a scream tore through the clearing. I turned to see Cinders momentarily overwhelmed by Lady Belladonna's attack, dark tendrils of magic wrapping around her arms. Without conscious thought, I reached out with my power, sending a wave of cooling water to break the smoky bindings.
The moment our magics connected—my water merging with Cinders' fire—something extraordinary happened. Instead of steam or extinguished flame, our combined power created a spiraling helix of energy that expanded outward in pulsing rings of light.
Prince Casimir, sensing the shift in power, abandoned all pretense of honorable combat. "If I cannot have this kingdom," he snarled, "then no one shall!" He raised both hands, channeling black magic directly into the earth beneath our feet.
The ground trembled violently, fissures opening across the sacred circle. Trees at the clearing's edge began to topple as their roots were severed by the spreading cracks. The Evergreen itself cried out in pain—a sound like wind through a thousand leaves yet carrying unmistakable anguish.
"He's trying to destroy the forest's heart!" Niobe cried, her ethereal form flickering with distress.
Lady Belladonna, for the first time, looked uncertain. "Casimir, this wasn't our agreement. The forest—"
"Is collateral damage," he finished coldly. "Power requires sacrifice, Belladonna. Surely you taught your daughters that lesson?"
At the mention of her daughters, Lady Belladonna's gaze sought out both Narcissa and Ursula. The latter still stood frozen at the edge of the battle, but Narcissa had moved to the center of the widening fissure, where ancient roots lay exposed and vulnerable.
"The forest's heart," Narcissa called out, her voice carrying above the chaos. "It's being torn apart!"
Without hesitation, she placed her hands on the exposed roots and began channeling her own life energy into them—a gift of essence that glowed with surprising brightness for one with no formal magical training.
"Narcissa, no!" Lady Belladonna's cry shattered her imperious facade, revealing raw maternal fear. "The transfer will kill you!"
But mate’s stepsister didn't stop. Her sacrifice created a momentary stabilization that halted the spreading destruction, though at terrible cost. Her life force visibly dimmed as she poured herself into healing the forest's wounds.
Lady Belladonna rushed toward her daughter, all thoughts of battle clearly forgotten. When she reached Narcissa's side, she fell to her knees, tears streaming down her face.
"Why?" she demanded, cradling Narcissa's weakening form. "Why sacrifice yourself for them?"
"Not for them," Narcissa whispered, her voice fading. "For what's right. For what could be, rather than what has been."
The sight of Lady Belladonna's genuine grief—the love she had kept hidden beneath pride and ambition—created a momentary pause in the conflict. In that silence, Cinders caught my eye across the clearing, an unspoken understanding passing between us.
Together, we moved to the center of the stone circle, our hands joining as our magics intertwined. The remaining essence of Queen Aurelia's power—released from the shattered slipper—rose within Cinders, meeting the awakened legacy of my mother's magic that now flowed freely through me.
"Fire and water," I spoke, the words feeling ancient on my tongue.
"Earth and air," Cinders completed, her fingers tightening around mine.
"Divided, we falter," we said together. "United, we flourish."
Our combined power expanded in a perfect sphere of harmonized elements—fire that warmed without burning, water that flowed without drowning, earth that supported without confining, air that moved without destroying. The energy rippled outward, healing the forest's wounds, sealing the fissures Prince Casimir had created.
When it reached Narcissa, the harmonized magic enveloped her in gentle light, replenishing the life force she had so selflessly given. Her breathing steadied, color returning to her pale cheeks as her mother watched in astonished gratitude.
Prince Casimir alone remained unmoved by the display of healing power. "Impressive parlor tricks," he sneered, gathering darkness around himself like a cloak. "But this changes nothing. It is a temporary victory at best."
"You're wrong," I replied simply. "This is just the beginning."
Fury contorted his features as he realized the tide had turned irrevocably against him. His soldiers had either fled or surrendered, while the combined forces of the Evergreen stood united against him. Even Sir Gareth had moved to stand with us, his sword now pointed at the dark prince.
"This isn't over," Casimir hissed, backing toward the trees. "The elements of creation may unite, but darkness will always rise to challenge them. I shall return when you least expect it." With those ominous words, he vanished into the shadows between the ancient trees, his presence fading like mist before the morning sun.
In the silence that followed, Lady Belladonna remained kneeling beside her daughter, her proud facade finally crumbled into dust, revealing her as the broken woman she was.
Ursula rushed to her mother and sister. As the three women embraced, I saw the first tender shoots of healing in a family long fractured by pride.
Sir Gareth approached me slowly, his sword now sheathed, his head bowed. "Your Highness," he began formally, "words cannot express my regret. I misunderstood the prophecy completely—saw only potential for chaos where there was promise of peace."
"Fear often blinds us to the blessings that lie just over the threshold," I replied, surprised to find no anger remaining in my heart.
"I offer the remainder of my years in service to this new vision," he said, kneeling before us. "If you will have me."
Cinders and I exchanged a glance. "Redemption begins with truth," she told him gently. "Your knowledge of what really happened to our parents must be shared, painful though it may be."
He nodded gravely. "I understand."
One month later, the great hall of Elaria's palace gleamed with renewal. The joint coronation of Queen Cynthia Everwood and King Marius Rivenborn had drawn dignitaries from across the allied kingdoms, filling the ancient space with color and celebration.
The crowns we wore were newly forged, combining traditional designs from both our lineages with symbols of the elemental harmony we now embodied. Mine featured sapphires representing water nested within flames of gold; Cinders' held rubies shaped like droplets surrounded by silver waves.
"The first rulers of a united Elaria and Rivendale," the court historian announced as we processed through the assembled crowd. "Long may they reign in harmony!"
The celebration continued well into the evening, but the moment I treasured most came when the formal dances began. Taking my bride’s hand in mine, I led her to the center of the floor just as I had on the night we first met.
"Do you remember?" I asked softly as we began to move together.
"Every moment," she replied, her beautiful green eyes reflecting the same wonder I felt. "Though that night I was terrified of discovery. Tonight, I am happier than I have ever been."
As we danced, our magics responded to our joy, creating delicate patterns above us—intertwined ribbons of fire and water that cast enchanted light across the hall. Guests murmured in appreciation, many seeing for the first time the beautiful potential of united elements.
From her seat at the high table, Narcissa watched with a peaceful smile. Though still recovering from her sacrifice, she had accepted our invitation to serve as Royal Advisor.
Beside her sat Ursula, gradually finding her own voice after years in her mother's shadow. Her natural skill with numbers had earned her appointment as Treasury Overseer, a role that brought her genuine satisfaction.
Belladonna, stripped of her title, had chosen to retire to a small estate at the kingdom's edge. Her pride remained, but it was tempered now by humility and the recognition of what truly mattered—the daughters she had nearly sacrificed to her own ambition.
Sir Gareth stood among the honor guard, his position more ceremonial than powerful, yet his knowledge invaluable to the newly formed Council of Elemental Harmony that would ensure balanced representation for all magical traditions.
As our dance ended, Cinders and I paused at the center of the hall, our hands still joined, our elements still swirling in beautiful synchronicity above us.
"A new age begins," I said, loud enough for all to hear.
"Not just for us," Cinders added, "but for all who have been divided by fear and misunderstanding."
Together, we raised our joined hands, sending our combined magic higher until it formed a glowing canopy above the entire assembly—a visible promise of the harmony we would build together, not just between fire and water, but among all peoples and powers within our unified realms.
The Evergreen flourished under renewed protection, its boundaries secure though the shadow of Prince Casimir's threat lingered on the horizon. But that was a concern for another day. Tonight was for celebrating what had been won through mercy rather than vengeance, through love rather than hate.
Tonight was the first step toward the future our mothers had envisioned—a future where differences strengthened rather than divided, where opposition gave way to collaboration, and where peace was built on justice.
As I gazed into Cinders’ eyes, I saw a part of my soul within them and knew with absolute certainty that whatever challenges awaited us, we would face them together—now and always.